Display apparatus



July. 1, 1930.- R. M. CRAIG DISPLAY APPARATUS- 2 Sheets-Sheet- 1 Filed Jan. '7, 1929 [Jul 1,1930.

R. M. CRAIG DISPLAY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. '7, 1929 One object may be portrayed.

p to aroadside advertising display andin this figure,the numeral 1 indicatesin general a Patented July 1, 1930 nrrnsrATEs RICHARD M. CRAIG, orsn v ANTONIO,.,TEXAS,' AssIGNoR roAm MA'rEn qOLQi't Apvm;

TISING, mo, .01? NEW YORK, N. Y, nxooaronnrron ornnvAnA p Y fms'pm APP RAT S g Original application filed December29,"1925,-Seria1 No.- 78,249; ma a this 1 1 J'anuarypi, 1929. Serial No. 330,939.

This invention, relates to clisp'layapparatus and more particularly to an illuminated sign of the type described in my Patent No."

1,698,224, issuedJanuary ,8, 1929, ofwhich' the present applicationvconstitute's a divis on. 1 1

ofthe invention is to provide a sign having subject matter printed thereon in pigment colors and subjected to the action of light rays of diiferent' spectral colors whereby't-he subject matter painted upon the sign may beabsorbed'or prominently displayed. according'to the. spectral colors to which it is subjected. c r V a Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of andapparatus for producing the appearance of motion to the object or objects painted upon the sign.

. Other objectswillappear'inthe course of the following description; I V The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure. 1 is a'perspective View illustrating one application of the principles of the preslent invention to a novel advertisingdisplay, v

the view illustrating means whereby one. display eflect maybe obtained,.and

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the principlesoftheinvention to an advertising display anddisclosing means whereby the eflectof intermittent or substantially continuous motion Figure 1 of the drawings exemplifies the application of the principles of theinvention signboarcl or other display'surface which is supported in an upright" position at some distance from the side of the roadway indicated by the reference letter R, as'for exam ple twenty to forty feet, and which is nearly parallel to the line of extent of the roadway but not. quite so, in order'that it may be readily observed by one traveling along the roadway some moments before the observer reaches a pointin .the roadway opposite the said signboard. .In the specific embodiment I illustrated, the display snrfacejof the board "is painted white or some other light neutral application filed a distinctive color and, therefore, does not possessthe characteristics peculiarfto primary pigment colors. Upon the background 2 and preferably, near .oiieend ofthe board.

although some other location may be found suitable, there is presented,in 'redpigment, the image3 ,ofa man holding atire in one I I hand as though to present thesame, and h av 7 ing his other hand raised as though to halt the one toward whom the tire is presented.

In this particular instance, the image. representation is, as stated, in red pigment, al-

though various combinationsfofcolors at the red end of the spectrummay be employed,

such for example as orange, magneta, pink,' etc, and such, colors 'may be employed single lorin combinations. Furthermore, the image representation may be of any otherwdistinctive pigment color providedoth'er conditions are suitable for the employmentof sncha I color, as for example the; character of the background and the character of the light I sources through themedinmfof which the display surface .is to be illuminated. 'Any suitable advertising matter relating to tires, suchfor example asthe words Good Tues and,referring either-to the quality of the ftires'or to the particular brand or make,1s portrayed upohthe display surface beside ithe image' representation 3, as indicated by thenumeral 4E, and forthispurpose, inthe;

present embodiment of the invention; a dark neutral, pigment such for exampleas brown,

is employed. The numeral 5 indicates sources of red light rays as for example, red light bulbs whicharearranged at the top.

of the display, surface, and" the numeral 6 indicates blue light bulbs which. are similarthe display surface will be flooded withr'ed light rays throughout its entire area and,

--lyarranged and both sets of bulbs are so positioned that when the bulbs 5 are lighted,

when the blue light bulbs are lighted, the

said surface will be flooded with blue light rays. throughout its entire area. The method of illuminating the display surface will presently be pointed out, but at this point it is to be noted that when the display surface is illuminated by red light rays the image 1 representation 3 will apparently be obliterated due to the fact that these spectral r'ays correspond incolorto the color of the pig ment .or pigmentsin which the said image.

representation is portrayed and likewise due to the lack of contrast between the back ground and the image representations, under the conditions stated. Under this illumination the advertising matter 4 Willbe visible in a rich brown color. On the other hand,

.when the display surface is'illuminated by blue light rays, the image representation 3 will appear substantially black against a substantiallywhitejlbackground, and the advertisingimatten lwill likewise appear very dark or substantially black against the light background. In one instance, therefore, both the image and theadvertising matter rep- .resentations are visible and in the other instancetheadvertising matter represented is visible and the image representation is totally obliterated. i

The numeral 71indicates a complementary display surface in the nature of a signboard which is positionedvery close to the roadside and" at substantially the same angle as the signboard 1. This board7, or other display surface, has applied toit a pigment of adark neutral color such for example as black, so as to provide a dark brilliant white against a substantially black background, but, inasmuch as the display is intended for operation duringnight hours, the said image'representation' will ordinarily not be discernible at night and particularly is this true in view, of the factthat it is represented'upon a very .dark neutral background.

"In practice, the image representation .9

qwill b e of dimensions actually less than the dimensions of ,the imagev representation 3 so that, dueto perspective, or the distant loc'ation of the image representation 3, both image:representations, if they were viewed simultaneously, would appear of the same 'size ordimensions.

ITheinvention contemplates instantaneous an simul eou 'e i e if he ima repres ntatiqnfii t-Fe t ha enderevied against a White background.

for a period of time, and display of the image representation 9, so that, to the observer, the effect is that of a man jumping from the point of location of the signboard 1 to a position immediately beside the roadway, and due to the relative arrangement of the signboards, the visual sensation is that of a man jumping directly at the observer who is travelin alon the roadwa 1 thus noi 1 L; E) 7 terial, indicated by the numeral 13, having arcuate contacts 14 and 15 mounted upon its face,,the flasher further including a rotary shaft 16 and a contact arm 17 rotated through the medium of the said shaft in a manner to sweep successively over the contacts .14 and 15. A conductor 18 is led from OIlQlSlClG of the source of current supply 11 to the shaft 16, or this side of the source of supply is,electrically connected in any other suitable manner with the contact'arm 17. A conductor wire 19 is led from the other side of the source of current supply and electrically connected with one terminal of each of the. sockets for the electric light bulbs 5, 6 and 10. A conductor wire 20 is electrically connected with the contact 14 and with the other terminals of the sockets "for the blue light bulbs 6. A conductor wire 20" is electrically connected With'the contact 15 and with the other terminals ofthe sockets for the red light bulbs 5 and 10. In the operation ofpthe flasher 12, and as the contact arm 17 moves over the contact 14, the. display surface of the signboard 1 will be flooded with blue light rays and the image representation 3 will stand out substantially blackagainst a White background and the advertising matter 4 will {likewise appear substantiallyv .black At such time,'. the complementary board 7 will be substantially invisible as it is not i-lluminated. .Therefore, in this cycle of operationof the apparatus, the entire surface v advertising matter will.still be displayed to iview, appearing substantially black against a white background. Coincident withthe obliteration or disappearance of the image representation 3, the image representation i) upon the surface ofthe complementary board 7 willbe displayed to viewl'appearing substantially white and .veryf brilliant againstthe black background 8, due to the illumination of the image representation by red light raysandthe contrast between the image representation and the background which surroundsit. Inasmuch as the background is substantially black, the effect will be that of a man standing-alone in the posture disclosed Figure 1, and heretofore described, and as previously explained, the illusion is that of the image representation 3 upon the'main display surface jumping from its distant point of location with relation to the roadway, directly to a position beside the roadway This startling "effect will naturallyimmediately attract the attention of motorists traveling over the highway and therefore a deep and lasting impression will be made upon the mlnd of the observer as to the subject matter of the display. 'In .an

other portion of the description which is to follow, the application of the principles of the invention to apparatus for displayng a. warning signal will be exemplified, butat this point it will be understood that subject matter such asto give, warning .of ,the'presence ofroad conditions whichWarrant cautious driving, may be substituted for the advertising matter. That is; to say,-the general scheme of depictingthe subjectma'tter in pigment colors and displaying the same under complementary spectral light rays as disclosed in Figure 1-, may be followeduin displaying other sorts of matter, theprinciples involved'being in no way limited-to advertislng displays.

In the adaptation 'of the invention disclosed in Figure 1 a single motion is =pormeral 43. Upon the displaysurfacethere is f strip depicted, in a pigment. of a distinctive color, suoh for examp'le as: red, an image representation 44 which may be of the same char.-

acter as the image representations 3 and 29 0f the previouslyv described embodiments. Advertising or other matter 45 is likewise represented upon the display surfacejbut in this instance, this matter willbe portrayed in ai distinctive pigment color rather-than in a neutral color as for example, green, and

contrasting with the pigment colorin which I the image representation 44 is portrayed.

The numerals 46, 47-and .48 indicate in general, complementary. surfaces which are in the nature of smaller signboards arranged, in planes ,para'lleltothat occupied by the board 42 and-spaced with relation to each other and to the said board 42 an equal distance, the board .46 being-located next to the board 42, the board 48 being. located imboard 47 being locatedmidway between the neutral color such as any of the dark neutral colors heretoforereferred to, is applied to the surface of each of the boards 46, 47 and 48, ec-as to provide the boards with dark neutral backgrounds indicated respectively bythe numerals 49, 5O and151. 1 Image repinediately beside the roadway, and the boards 46 and 48. A'pigmentbfa dark resentations 52, 53 and 54 are depicted upon the boards 46, 47, and 48 respectively-in a distinctivepigment color similar to that "in which the image representation 44 is" de picted, in this instance, red. The numeral 55 indicates red light bulbs arranged at-Ythe upper side of the main display board 42 and the. numeral 56 indicates, white light bulbs likewise arranged at the upper side'of I the display surface so that the surface may be flooded with red" light rays through the medium of the bulbs 55 and with; white light'rays-through the medium of the'bulbs 56., White light bulbs 57, 58 and 59 are arrangedrespectivelyabove the display surfaces 46, 47 andi48 sothat thesesurfaces may beflooded with white light rays. y.

. The numeral 60 indicates an automatic flasher of substantially thesame type asprevi'onsly described and comprising a disc 61 of QinsulatingVmateriaI upon theface of which are [arranged contact strips 62," 63,

p64, 65 and 66. The shaftvof'the flasher is indicated-by thejnumeralf67 and the contact arm carried; thereby is indicated by the numeral 68; The --numeral 69 indicates a sourceof current supply, and a conductor wire 70e -is.led.,from' oneside. of the source of supply and electrically. .connectedwith the shaft 67 or contact arm, 68. Acon'ducto'r wire'71 is led from the other. side'of; the source of current supply and is connected with one terminal of the. sockets for all of the bulbs above referred to. I

v In the operation of he flasher 60:. and as thecontac'tarm 68, moves over the contact the white light bulbs 56 and the display sun face 42 :will be flooded with white, light rays, thus displaying the imageprepresem,

tation 44 in red against a white background and simultaneously displaying: the matter 45 inigreen against a white background; At

62, the-circuit will be'closed through the contact arm 68 passes over the strip throughout the entire length of the said this time, the display surfaces 46, 47 and 48 are substantially invisible and particularly in view of the fact that their backgrounds are black or of some other dark neutral color. As the contact arm 68 leaves the strip 62 and sweeps over the strip 63, the white lights 56 will be extinguished and the red lights 55 will be lighted. It will be observed that the contact strips 64, 65 and 66 are arranged concentric to the contact strip 63 and that the relatively adjacent ends of the strips 64 and 66 are substantially radially opposite the ends ofthe strip 63, so that as 63 strip, it will successively engage the contact strips. 64, 65 and 66. Therefore, asthe arm 68 rides into contact with the strip 63, it will likewise simultaneously contact the strip 64 and the white light 57 will be lighted,,thus illuminating the display surface 46 with white light rays. When the red lights 55 are flashed on, as just explained, the display surface 42 will be flooded with red light rays and, therefore,

- the image representation 44, being in red,

will be totally obliterated and become invisible, whereas the matter 45, being in green and, therefore, 'of a color contrasting with andcomplementary to the color of the spectral light rays, will appear substantially black against the white background 43 of the said display surface 42. -At the instant theiimage 44 is obliterated, the image representation 52 will be, as stated, flooded with white light rays from the light bulbs 57 and this image representation will, therefore, appear a brilliant red against a black or other dark neutral background 49 andwthe observer will apparently see the image representation 44 jump from the displaysur face 42 to the position occupied-by the display surface 46. At this point, it is to be noted that inasmuch as the background of the display surface 46 is black or of some other dark neutral color, it, in itself, will be substantially invisible under the white light rays, particularly in view of the brilliancy with which the image representation 52 will be displayed to view, under such illumination. '"In' the continued movement of the contact arm 68, it will next sweep over the contact strip65, thus extinguishing the lights 57 and closing the circuit through the bulbs 58 to fiood the display surface 47 with white light rays and, in a further movement of the said arm, it will sweep over the contact strip 66, thusextinguishing the bulbs 58 and closing the circuit through the white light bulbs 59 to flood thedisplay surface 48 with white light rays. In the meantime, the :arm '68 is continually in contact with the strip '63 so that the red lights 55 remain burning and, therefore, the matter 45'is constantly displayed to the view .oftheobserver.

However, as the contact arm 68 rotates the visual effect produced will be that of the man holding the tire, constituting the image representation, jumping from the display surface 42 and by leaps, over the ground law of persistence of vision, it will be evident that very startling effects can be obtained, due to the number of position changes which take place.

In the embodiment of the invention just described, pigment colors other than red may, of course, be employed, it being preferable, however, to select pigments which have a distinctive color and, of course, the color in which the matter 45 is represented, will be distinctive and will contrast with the color in which the image representations 44, 52, 53 and 54 are displayed. It will be understood, of course that the light ray sources '55 will be altered, as regards their color of their spectral rays, in accordance with any change made in the colors of the pigments employed in representing the display matter. It will also be evident, as in the preceding embodiments of the invention, that the principles exemplified in Figure 3 and in the description relating thereto may find embodiment in a signaling display or displays of various natures and for various purposes other than advertising or signaling.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. Means for displaying the effect of changein distance position of a represented objectcomprising relatively spaced display mediums having contrasting backgrounds, each of said mediums bearing a pigment representation of the object in a distinctive color, and means for successively, individually displaying the mediums under light rays of a spectral color corresponding to said pigment color whereby to effect obliteration of one representation simultaneously with display of the other representation.

2. Means for displaying the effect of change in distance position of a represented object comprising relatively spaced main and complementary display mediums having contrasting backgrounds, each of said mediums bearing a pigment representation of the object in a distinctive color, means for displaying the main display medium under light rays of a color contrasting with the color of the image representations, and means for simultaneously, individually displaying both mediums under light rays of a spectral color corresponding to the color in which the image representations are depicted.

.3. Means for displaying the effect of contrasting with the pigment color and then simultaneously individually displaying the complimentary medium under light rays. of

a spectral color corresponding to. thecolor in which the images are represented.

ment color in which thesaid object is represented whereby to obliterate the object representation and display thesaid other matter :upon the surface, and then instan taneously successively illuminating the complementary display surfaces, 1n the order 1n 7 which they are arranged beginning with the one next adjacent the said main display 7 surface andunder light rays of a color to display the object representations thereon. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. RICHARD M. CRAIG. [L. s.]

4. Means for displaying the effect of change in distance position of arepresented object with relation to a roadway, comprising a main display medium positioned remote from the roadway and a complementary display medium positioned substantially beside the roadway, the said mediums each bearing-V a representation of the object in a distinctive pigment color, and illuminating means operat'ing to first illuminate I the main display medium with light rays ofv a color complementary to the pigment color whereby-to display the representation thereon through color absorption and subsequently. simultaneously illuminate both display mediums with light rays of a color'corresponding substantially to the pigment color whereby to obliterate the representation upon the main display medium and display .7 l

the representation upon the complementary display medium,the representation upon the main display medium being upon a light neutral background, and the representation upon the complementary display medium a being upon a dark neutral background.

5. Means for displaying the effect v of change in distance position of a represented object comprising a main display surface and a plurality of complimentary display surfaces spaced withrelation to one another and-with relation to the main display surface in the general direction in which they are presented for display,,the main display surface having a light, neutral background and bearing a representation of the object,

to be displayed in pigment of a distinctive color and likewise bearing'other matter to be displayed represented in apigment of a color contrasting with the first mentioned color, each of the complimentary surfaces having a background of a darkneutral color I terthereon, next illuminating thesaid main and bearing a representation ofthe object to be displayed, and means for first illuminating'themain display surface under light rays of a colorto displaythe object representation thereon and likewise the'saidmatdisplay surface with light rays of a spectral color substantially the same as the pig-- I 

